By Ellison Wolk

While no travel is completely free of environmental consequence, responsible choices can help to limit the strain on our planet.

Travel, more so now than ever, has become a desire and pleasure for people worldwide. Around 307 million tourists traveled abroad in the first four months of 2026, which is almost 6 million more people than in 2025. The ability to travel to a new place, or even a new country, offers countless opportunities to broaden your personal scope of understanding different cultures, landscapes and ways of life. However, as environmental concerns continue to emerge and grow, travelers are encouraged to question whether their vacations come at too great a cost for the planet’s well-being. The burning of fossil fuels, excessive and direct emissions and resource depletion put a heavy tax on the Earth’s natural resources and health. Not only should we evaluate whether sustainable travel is possible, but there is also great importance in actively working to reduce the individual impact of traveling.

Some may argue that the term “sustainable travel” is an oxymoron. And they may be right, to some extent. Commercial airplanes burn fossil fuels at a rate of about 750 to 900 gallons per hour at the least and over 3,000 gallons at most, which then leads to a direct emission of carbon dioxide into the upper atmosphere and greatly increases carbon footprints on an individual basis. In addition to aviation, the hotel industry consumes a major amount of energy and water: typically almost 400 gallons of water a day per occupied room and 20,910 gigawatt-hours for the entire hospitality sector, which is enough energy to power 1.2 million homes. Popular tourist destinations also run the risk of suffering from overcrowding and, therefore, environmental degradation. It is not infrequent that tourism puts a strain on local resources for the sake of accommodation, leaving the ecosystem and community to bear the consequences.

These concerns are justified. However, efforts toward improving sustainability practices work best when they are not looked at as something that has to be an all-or-nothing goal. When everyone works together to minimize harm rather than try to solve the issue completely, much progress is already being made.

So, how can we do that? Here are five ways travelers can reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact:

1. Be intentional with travel plans

Rather than having many short trips throughout the year, opting to have longer but fewer vacations decreases a person’s carbon footprint somewhat significantly. This practice helps to lower the demand for transportation more generally and allows a deeper cultural connection with the respective destination. When possible, taking a bus, train or another form of shared transportation can be a great substitute for shorter flights. These options lower both emissions and the consumption of fuel. According to National Geographic, this is the most effective way to reduce a person’s carbon footprint.

2. Seek out eco-certified accommodation and practice sustainable living

There are times when short flights or multiple shorter travel options are circumstantially unavoidable. In these cases, a great way to still be cautious about sustainability practices is to be diligent when choosing accommodations. Hotels require a vast amount of electricity, water and cleaning supplies. Selecting an eco-certified accommodation that prioritizes waste reduction, the conservation of water and renewable energy can help to minimize a traveler’s carbon footprint. Personal actions, such as reusing towels, turning off the lights and limiting the use of air-conditioning, further reduce resource consumption.

Local food market. Zeynep Sude Emek. Pexels.

3. Support the local economy

By purchasing locally sourced goods, including food and services, the environmental costs that are associated with importing items are reduced. Simultaneously, communities directly benefit from the tourist revenue. A tourism model that is both environmentally and economically sustainable can be created by supporting small businesses and local shops.

4. Implement waste reduction practices

Waste reduction remains an important practice in the broader goal of boosting the planet’s health. An environmental challenge that tourist destinations continue to face is that of single-use plastics. Making sure to bring and use reusable water bottles, utensils and shopping bags can help to cut the amount of waste that is generated during a trip. Additionally, travelers can be mindful of tourist destinations by refraining from littering, staying on designated walking paths and respecting the surrounding wildlife.

5. Avoid overcrowding by traveling off-season

Popular travel destinations often experience overcrowding during peak seasons. This can put stress on a particular area’s infrastructure, resources and natural environments. Simply traveling during periods that are slightly less popular can help to mitigate the strain on areas that experience congestion. It also allows for the traveler to have a more enjoyable and authentic adventure, as they are not overwhelmed with other tourists and can instead learn more about the place and the people themselves.

While sustainable travel is admittedly a bit of an oxymoron, the point is not perfection, nor is the goal to just give up on traveling entirely. Every trip requires some resources and, therefore, a certain level of environmental impact is simply inescapable. Nevertheless, each traveler has the ability to make choices that can lessen the strain on the environment’s resources. By traveling more intentionally, supporting local communities, minimizing waste and being cautious of water and energy use, people can continue to chase their ambitions in learning more about the world while still helping preserve it for the coming generations. Attempting to implement sustainable practices while traveling will not completely erase human impact on the Earth, but it can help to frame travel in a way that does not come at the expense of the places and planet that we treasure.

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